Automatic train-control apparatus.



T. E. CLARK. AUTOMATIC TRAIN CONTROL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 19!?)- Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

YUAN

LQQRJSQB WITNESSES.-

i by {in :Hfiflill of train brakes and signals in operative associationH101? QFJWEQQG THGMAS E. 511A ,K. 936 DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

A'UTORCL'JQTIC TRAIN-GCNTROL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Divided and this application filed June 28,

original application filed February 26. 1912, Serial No. 6'291503.

' i L13. Serial .N'O. 776.239.

To m! w/mm if may romwrn: 'lhc truck ciguipmeni' of czich block A, E

130 ii' known chat I, lirmus E. (,nxnii, a citizen of rho Unii'cdShades. and n rcsidcnt ol Uclrcii. infilll county of \Vnync and Shite olliiichignn, have invented u now and Ill)- ;n-ox'cd Automatic'lrnin-Contx'ol lppnr; his, of which rho following is'n spccificziiion.

This ini'r-niion rchilcs i'o :HliOiHilijlC train control :ippnrziiusdcsignod in! use in con nccl'ion with olock .ip nzii sys'tcins forrailways. and especially ix) that type, shown in. my prior applicationSci'lul Number (3751803 iiicd l ch. 3, 912 of which lhis :ippiicniion isn division. and consists in tho mechanism llHmHi'lil on ihe'tcndor orlocomotive. Where;

ran-ions types are controlled.

This invention consists in rcccii'ing circuii mounted upon :1 Hindu,locouunivc or numwhicle adjacent to but scpurni'cd from a: WaysideciiJiii, including: :1 translating incchnn', n :ind moans to ground saidrocciring circuit; and train controlling nppin rntns governed by saidrcceiving' circuit and translating device including a sourcc oi cicafriccurrent, whereby lhc proper sigmds will givcn whcnlhi-t currcnt in thewnysicle circuii ccnscs.

- "Eli fnrlhcr consists in forming; ihc siccciving ciicuil oi twobranches, cnch having porlions :idjnccni to and parallel to the way sidecircuit. but ou'r of nlincnicnt with each othcr.

ii lurihei' consists oi. iho (lot-ails illustrated in tho nccompan v'ingdrawing and pnrl'icuhirl sci forth in thc claims.

in *ho :mcompnnying drnw'i iiifil'lifi carried on the locomotive forcontrolling" tho brakes and nails-and n circnii for high otential 11'frequency osci lating current i'ith. Fig. 521

is a: vertical transverse section an the main 1' nice and C consisl's ofll'nclr-iircnii' \YliICS S and 9 winncc'iing to the cnds m rnils'i/ oirho ncxii adjacent block. which \Yii'cs comicct to firetruck-relay 0iclcctro-inzignci' l0 i hc primary coil of the l'i'nnsl'ormcr 1% thecircuit of which inclmlns n rmu'l'nncv l'c lnior 15 and the nrinz'iturel6 of tho clcclro-nmgnci l0 thc lincs l? and 18 onncci'ing to H10armature ll and the ,renclnncc roguhitoiz and the swilch 19 conncctingrlhis circuit to the iinc-s 6 and T.

Till drawing further shows Hie secondary (oil of iho irnnsi'orincr illthe rotary intcrrnptcr 3S 3O (which is fully cxplnincd in my fol-inci--11 plic=1ti0n Serial Number YUM 2i. lilcd June on 1UP} the electrodes231, so posiiioncd as to ion 0 spark gaps 2G hclwccn thcii inner codesand (ho rot nr y inlcrrupl'cr, rho ndcnscrs 23 ihe copper induct'nncc orlinking coil 2%, the Mljnsmiile conlnci line leading to the main limb 27of the wayside circuit and the line 26 leach ing to ('ho pick-up lin'ibor counterpoise of this circuit, which limbs are out of alin mcni lnu'piirnllcl with each other and i l h tho mu-i: rails a In lnc prcsc n "0*the origin 5 uppiicntion. the t fcrpoisc of the way c i'iiidlllt'li'OE-iat i'hc insulation Hi end oi (i block, (:13 irnins Hack) the main limb2'! oXi -n insnln'tii'in d 1 'f'hc and ii filing cucnii' on iendin'gareshown in subs or any the same manner as in the former zippiiniimi.rccciving circuit is of variable inductance or cag'nicily, and if inproximity to the liigli- B5 1. upon 'ncnc high 1 receiving circuit 15E00 i tin 11cm in a wayside conductor of -po cntizd current, this i from{he nsn'al Hertthe current in the :0-

o'r' sul'iicientstrength 106 ad in thc receiving liigh irnqiicncy nigr 1action will he 'iiiii'crcn zizin \Yifl'fi action and ceiving circuitwill hc i hi to cause a lump p c It should what the track-relay advance,that is, the controls the armay to the oscillating cirn; ir ilie'rear,that is, n the drawing, s id relay actit closer an 1 r according opene ti energized and deenergizcd, all aXle eer ing to shortcircuit the railsof the C and preventing suilieien'c current X ing over the Wires 8 andand the Wind- =o be attracted. This results in the cess a of energy'iromthe W215? de circuit.

2 local circuit on the en he or tender he energized in any ran-edmanner,

' i and the curic various inriunentalities hereinal" cribcd. The h ringcircuit comprises a main branch 7 a pi k-up bran" L former utilizing hule circuit member utilising energy from the i The receiving circuit isr unnatically in the drawing asl'h tlu- Wayside circuit and with a ly'indicated generator of ll-frequency oscillations oscillating circuit,and said recircuit comprises harp members 53 in capacity. formed of aplurality of l 1 and located so as to parallel 2i 1 nc, post 553, thenceto lay 57. and .i no station contact 9? of relay, 1' Aline Bil cont if;to i'luthe-r:nowlcctric uc and the line i1ii-'.a':l's this relay indutance 31 and to the branch circuit is also locomotive. and comprises eelements 63 adjacent and ical energy from or balancing capacity 28,parallel relation oi the I lead to the circuit I.

ling

post i of the relay to cause the armature.

ands of wire connected to one terminal relay. thence memes by themetallic frame 96 of said relay to the rear contact 58, the movablecontact. ill". and on line 59 through thermo-electric relay 60, thenceto inductance 01, and to earth-62.

Said pick-up branch circuit is closed when the main relay 57 isdenergizecl, and being thus closed is the first to receive currentinfluence from the Wayside circuit, which current influence flowingalong the line of the pick-u branch circuit energizes themerino-electric relay to close a local circuit including the main relay57 and energiies said main relay 5? to put into opera- 'tive positionthe train control and signal scribed in my former application SerialNumber 080 9 70. filed lllarch 1st, 1912, and is so constructed that solong as a proper high-potential high-frequency current from the ya idecircuit is conducted thereto by the line a and passes through said relayto the ground, a connection between the lines lines 67 and 67" of thelocal circuit \\"ll be maintained.

It consists of a fine .Wn'e fila ment 78 of high resistance. extendingbetween the ends of the lines 59 and 59; and held in tension by thespring 75 and screw 76. lVheu this filament becomes heated sut fieicntlyby the current passing over it to sag: the fiber 81 will permit rotationof the disk 86, and connection is cll'ectcd between the ends of thelines 37 and (37. Vhen iusullicicnt current passes over the filament T8,the circuit between the lines (37 and (37 will he opened because of the:turning back of the diskSG by the fiber 91 under stress of thc. cooledfilament 78.

1 l rame 92 of the main relay is mounted on a suitable base and carriesbinding, posts al it}. ill-l and 134 for the several linesas n l as theelcctrouiagnets 5T 'lhe'armature U1" is pivoted at 95 and carriesaplurality of spring contact members 103, 122 and 97, adapted when therelay is energized, to make contact with the front con-- tacts orbil'ldiug posts 104-, 121 and 98; and when. the relay is deenergized anddrops back by lg'rayity, contacts 103 and 97 make contact iv'ith therear-binding posts 132 and 58 respectively. I

llhen the relay is dei nergized, the pickup branch 64 ot the receiving.circuitis know that the track is clear. and that. he may drivehis'train in accordance with its schedule.

So long as the block ahead is clear, there is nothing to prevent thetrain under consideration to run as the engine man may see fit. But assoon as the block 7 ahead is oecnpied. the track-circuit to the relay 10of block B becomes short-circnited, thereby cutting off such a largeproportion of the current to the relay 10 that the armature 16 will fallaway and open the circuit to the transformer 14 of block B. therebycausing a cessation of the supply of energy to the Wayside circuit ofblock ll, comprising the limbs 27 and 28 of that block. A train enteringblock B will soon be stopped, for the main limb 27 of the waysidecircuit will be deprived of its energy and will fail to impress propercurrent flow in the receiving circuit of the train. This condition willallow the, main relay of that train in block 1 B to open and thus openthe circuits to the solenoids 99 and 1,00, resulting in the valves 112and 117 controlled thereby to open, and the brakes being applied.

In view of the possibility of the whistle 115 not sounding through thefailure of the air or for some other cause. there is provided a visualsignal in the form ot a red light 129 which is located in a circuit co|nprising the line 101 leading from positive bus-bar G8, movable contact103 of the main relay, and back contact 132, on metallic frame 133,binding terminal 134 connected therewith. on line 135, and on connectedline 136 leading to said lamp. The return side of said circuit iscompleted by short line 137 connected to line 127 which leads to thenegative bus-bar (39, whereby, by opening of the main relay, currentwill be caused to tlow through the circuit of the red lamp 129 and bythe illumination thcreot atl'ord an additional visual danger signal.

Should the engine man desire to release the brakes of his train andproceed slowly forward under check until the end of the block isreached, he may do so by depressing the release key 13$) which willclose the circuit across the terminals of the lines 127 and 1 l0,(saidline 127 leading to the ncgzac .tive bus-bar (if) and the circuit beingcompleted on line 101 from the positive bus-bar, the rear contact 1332,the tralne 133, the bindin; post 134, the line 135 to line 141. to oneterminal ot' the winding" of the relay 1-l'2 and from the other terminalof said winding on line 143 to line 110 back to said release key 139.thus causing a flow o-t currenttrom the battery through the relay 1+2,energizing said relay and actuating its armature. 1-H to press themovable contact H5 against the contact 1-46. This ctiects the closing ofthe local circuit through the relay H2 comprising the short line 147from said contact 14- the connected line127, negative bus-bar 89,through the battery, then over positive bus bar and line 101 leadingtherefrom movable cont-act 103 of the main relay, rear contact 132,metal frame 133, and lines 135 and 111, 76 to one terminal of thewinding of said relay and from the other terminal of said win-(L in online M3 to movable contact 115.

It will thus be seen that the mome ary closing of the release key (whichs s' storing) will establish a local circnn t the relay 1&2 and maintainsaid relz notwithstanding the circuit of the r may be immediately openedby- 1e said key. The movement of the ar 14% of the relay 142 not onlyclos circuit just described, but also ttxi l movable contact 118 and caes it gagemcnt with the contact 11-9. thercz 111;}; a circuit at saidcontacts. eompri 1:15

line 150 leading to the positive l iis-bar. then to the storage batteryand back to the negative bus-bar and over the lines 111) and 109 to oneterminal or" the winding; of the solenoid 99 and from the other terminalof said winding on line 106 to line 1 and o 't other movable contact 118 thus can How of current through solenoid 99 er rizing said coil tolift its core and valve 113 ot the train pipe 11%, the-rob leasing thebrakes and enabling the engii man to proceed under controhas sh wnFig. 1. But the whistle 115 will coir e blow and the red light willstill glow constant warning of danger. 1e6- As soon as the block-U aheadbecon lear q the track relay 10 of the block P; w be energized, therebyclosing" the gen" circuit for block 13, restoringenerg a lit-5 'inainwayside circuit 27 of said hi enabling the trainlying in block i upenergy froni the wayside cicu dnctor 27. This will result in t ot themain relay 5? through the the thermo-electric relay (it), in ing of thesolenoids 99 and am; in of the train valve 112 and yvhi 111. theextinguishing ot the red the ignition of the green lamp.

The closing of the :nair rela break the local circuit of the r open thecircuits at the contactsan 1.4" and l-h nd HS) spectiveiy. 'lais r 'wotion of the apparatus in the engine cal, the closing of the main relaythro operation of the thermo-electric to the receiving circuit will ind)21 C31 tion of safety under which the engine man may proceed.

As was stated. the relay 1412 was enc by a current which passed t'romthe posi bus-bar (18 over the wire 101 to the mova contact 10?), frame133 binding post I Wire 1 35 to the relay, and from the relay over thewire ll-l, contacts 14-5 and 14S, wires 13G train in block D.

3.5%? and 127 to the negative bus-bar 69. lumen the main relay 57 isenergized, the movable contact will be disengaged .irom the contact 132carried by the frame 133. and this local circuit to the relay 142 willbe opened. resulting in a separation of the contacts 14-5 and 146, andof the contacts 148 and 1&9.

Referring again to the arrangement of the insulated blocks or sectionsofthe track and the location of the main wayside circuit and thecounterpoisc ith respect to the track, it Will be noted that the member27 of block C extends beyond the point of insulation of the rails intoblock B, and that the .counterpoise 28 of block B extends from the endof the mainlimb 27 of block C to the insulation between blocks B and C.A train stopping in the block next beydnd C, which may be termed D willshort circuit the track circuit 'for said block and cut off the currentsupply from the main limb 27 of the Wayside circuit of the block C. A.following train will have clear indication until it reaches the end ofblock B, that is, until it reaches the end of the member 27 of block C.

When that point isgreached, and the train stops there, the harp 63 ofthe pick-up branch of the receiving circuit will extend over thecounterpoise 28 of block B, and the engine man will receive anintermittent indication of safety until the train that is in block Dshall have passed into the next block ahead. reason that the indicationsare intermittent is, that, While the counterpoise 28 of block B will beenergizcd, the main wayside circuit 27 of block C, which extends intoblock B, will be with out current because of the presence of a Thecurrent passing through the thermoelectric relay from the pick-up branchof the receiving" circuit will actuate it to close the local circuit ofthe main relay and encrgize said relay to attract its armature and I I 1break the pick-up branch of the recelvlng,"

circuit, but said main relay will not remain energized bccausethe mainWayside circuit for block *0 is Without current, permitting the armatureof said relay to drop back and again close the pick-up branch of thereceiving circuit, when the main relay will again become momentarilyenergized and the pick-up branch of the receiving circuit Willbe againbroken. thus causing a vibration of the armature of the main .rclay andan intermittent opening and closing; of the circuits controlling thesignal and train stopping devices; therefore, the engine man will beobliged to hold hi train at the en tranceof block C until the trainahead has given to block (3 a. clearing indication by passinh from blockD. The passing of the train from block D will restore the track enacecircuit in said block, and the track relay. thereby closing: thegenerating flit tor block (7, and uupplyiug" a highp. high-potentialcurrent to the \\'R .:'-llo circuit 27 and 97 of said block. The returnof current to the wayside circuit or block (7 will he manifest to theenghi, man, whose train is lying at the ent 'ance oi said block by acontinued cncrg'i'lzation of the main relay and the consequent closingoi the train line and whistle valves, as well as by the extinction ofthe red light and the illumination of the green light.

The performance of the Functions just do scribed indicates a conditionof safety; under which the train held at the ei'itrance of block C mayproceed under usual running: conditions with the assurance that thetrain infront is at least two full blocks ahead.

By extending the harps of the receiving circuit and the piclcup branchthereof in opposite directions as shown. provision is made for renderingthem operative whether the train be running forward or bacluvard.

It will now he understood that the groueration of a high-froquency,high-potential energy for the wayside circuit is controlled by a trackcircuit in such a manner as to afford a continuous supply of cnergrv tothe wayside circuit under conditions of safety. and to cause asuspension of said energy in said circuit under conditions of daugclwithin or in respect to the zone guarded or controlled by saidapparatus.

it is believed that one portion of the fixed conductor parallel with thetrack togethcr with he harp of the receiving: circuit on the vehicleconstitute the metallic elements of a condenser. and that anotluuportionof said fixed conductor together with the track rail form the metalliccleneiits of a second condenser. the intervening air in the case of bothcoiulcnscrs serving as a dielectric. With those elements so acting acircuit is formed through a part of the fixed conductor to the receivingcircuit on'the vehicle, thence through the re- 8130112101110 the ground.and back to the other part of the fixed conductor by way of the 'groundand the track rail. 'Ylhisaccounts for, the strong current through there- "spondcr and for other cllocts observed in practising thisinvention.

I I claim 1. In a railway system oi train control adapted for use with awayside conductor comprising two limbs out of alincnu-nl with each otherand hdaptcd to transniit highfrequcncy, high-potential current. avehicle. a plurality of receiving conductors mounted respectivelyadjacent each of the limbs of the wayside conductor. a translatingdevice.

a relay having a plurality of hairs of cou-- facts respectively adaptedto alternately close the clrcuits between the translating do ill) thewayside circuit and a piclcup conductor mounted on the vehicle adjacentthe shorter limb of the wayside circuit. a translating de vice. a mainrelay. :1 current source and abrake mechanism all mounted on thevehicle, circuits between the main and pickup conductors and the mainrelay, a single circuit between the relay and the translating device,whichcircuit is connected to the pick-up circuit when the relay isdecnergizcd and to the main receiving circuit when the relay isenergized. and an independent circuit between the. current source, therelay and the translating device which is operative when current isreceived by theqpick-up circuit.

3. In a raihvay system of train control adapted for use with a waysidecircuit. each comprising a long and a short limb out of alinement witheach other and adaptedto transmit high-frequency high-potential current.a vehicle. a main receiving conductor on the vehicle adjacent the longerlimlrof the wayside circuit and 'piclmip conductor mounted on thevehicle adjacent the shorter limb of the wayside circuit a translatingde vice, a main relay. a current source and a brake mechanism allmounted on the vehicle. circuits between the main and pick-up conductorsand the main relay. a single circuit between the relay and thetranslating device. which circuit is connected to the pick-up circuitwhen the relay is deenergizcd and to the main receiving circuit when therelay is energized. and an independent circuit between the currentsource, the relay and the translating device which is operative whencurrent is received by the pick-up circuit. aii electric control for thebrake-mochanism. and electric circuits between the current source, themain relay and said electric control. whereby the brake. mechanism isheld inoperative when the relay is energized.

4. In a railway system of train control adapted l'or use with a waysidecircuit, each comprising a long and "a short limb out of alinementwitheach other and adapted to transmit high-freinancy high-potentialcurrent, a vehicle and the following mechanism mounted thereon viz :amain relay L '0- vided with two series of contact points and amo'vablemember adapted to close the circuits of the points of eachseries when the .the main relay is deenei relay energized or de"nergizedi-espec tlvely. a thermoelectric relay connected to the main relay, a.mam pick-up condnc ')I mounted adjacent the main limb of way sidecircuit and connected to the main relay and in circuit with thethermoelectric relay when the main relay is energized. a pickconductorconnected to the main relay and in circuit with the thermoele tric relay'wl 'Zed, a ,currcin source circuits between the current source. themain relay and the thermoelectric relay over which current will flow toenergize the main relay whenever c i'reut from the wayside circuit toeither of the reccu ingzconductors on the vehicle a brake mec nism forthe vehicles, electric means holding it inoperative. and electric circconnecting to said current source, main 1e and brake controlling meansover which cit. rent passes when the main relay is ener gized, to holdthe brake mechanism inop rathe 5. in a railway system of train contn thecombination with a railway vehicle. ot a main receiving conductor and aElli-F conductor mounted thereon adjacent two limbs of a wayside cir itwhich are out alinement with each other. a main relay Iriounted' on thevehicle, a thermo siect i. relay a current source. and electric devicesfor controlling the operation of the vehicle and electric circuitsbetween the receiving conductors and the main relay. between the mainrelay and the thermo-electric relay.

between the main relay and the, electric de-' vehicle, and between thecurrent source and the main relay, whereby current may from the pick-upconductor to the ther electric relay when the main relay is reenergized, from the main receiving c tor to the thermo-electrie relaywhen the main relay is energized. from the current source to energizethe main relay .hen current passes to the thermo-olectric relay. fromthe current source to the electric t vices for controlling the operationof the vehicle when the main relay is eneneiz 6. In a railway s tem ofti the combination With a railway re a main receiving conductor and a Aconductor mounted thereon adjacem limbs of a. way itle circuit whichare. on; alinement with each other. a mounted on the vehicle, a th rilay. a current source. and W controlling the operation of t .c vcelectric circuits between the rec duetors and the main relay. betw relayand the thermo-electric i l the main relay and the electric controllingthe operation of the ve between the current source and relay wherebycurrent may flow In energize the main relay when currrut' puma 50 Hrs'illPllilO'QlUClllC relay. iEllKl rum thr currvui source f0 The olvclricslm'ia u "fur mnlrollingg the upo'ul'lou 01" flu 'lnClO when the mainmany is energized. an audible signal. electric means for huhliu lhvsimuinoperulive. and circuits: lwh'vueu suhl eluclriu-mcuns. the currentsourw zuul the main relay which circuits are cluuml when lhr main relayis energized and upon when the main relay is definergizml.

ram of train vuutrol.

r'. in a railway lhe comhhuiiiou with a ruiiwzrvwvhivle. ul' a mainrecoivlngr conductor uml u pic-lamp ('cmnluctor mounted l'hvreuumliuc-eui two limbs of u 'Wayside circuit; which are out of uliucmonlwith each other. main rein mounlod on the vvhicle. tl'acru'iv-vlc-clrh:relay. :1 current source. and vlvciric ilevirvs for controlling theoperation of (he which. and oleciric circuits btwueu rhe rec-aivi'conductors :u1(i the ma n relay. helwwr. .7 main relay aml 1eil1G1110--i ecl'ric relay. betwevn the main relay and the eieul'ric (l0-vices for controlling lho Opel-Mimi (a? rho vehicle. and between thecurrent sum-( v and the main relii). whereby Inn-rent may iiuu' froz nthepick-up conductor '0 H10 rhormw electric relay when 'lhe main vl y(l0- enei'gizecl,'fi'o1ii the main I'GCQlYlhg u lu: tor to themerino-electric relay when the main relay is energized, rm ilw [-urrmisou cc to energize l'liv, main relay wl. en vii rent passes lo thetharinmelucl'ric: relay. m; from the current source to 1hr (lPlllC (l0-u 1. between the {cur (0 01 .4 k,

ill-9 930mm. (ramsoperuled rim-urband. ii gilu- C 31 3 m 01. n xed c1irrmit mutluci'o urronl i i which urn clused when mull rim To the

